Clampy comes with two accessories. The smaller of the two is a little clamp-like weapon that was inspired by his 200X Staction. This little silver clamp can be held in the center, but unfortunately it doesn’t have any articulation.
His second accessory is his primary weapon, and my second complaint about the figure. The large mechanical device seems to have taken almost all of its inspiration from the vintage version. There were definitely some more sculpted details added, which I like, but the “clamp” part of the device is really a giant pair of pincers. Pincers cut and tear, clamps grip and secure. There’s a difference, and it’s always bothered me that the original Clamp Champ’s weapon didn’t match his name. Now the mistake has been repeated for the ultimate MOTU line. It’s frustrating to say the least.
So I’ve got a lot of mixed feelings about this Clamp Champ figure. On one hand, I think the figure’s design and head sculpt look fantastic. He easily stands out on the shelf. Unfortunately he sometimes stands out for the wrong reasons, like the giant weapon he wields that has nothing to do with his name, and what I assume is his specialty. At least I can chalk the giant pincers up to vintage love, there’s really no excuse for him not to have a full sized shirt though.
-Vault
I never understood this guy’s function back in the day. All I remember was seeing him on closeout as the line was folding. I thought he was a cool looking figure with a typical MOTU wacky moniker. Who knows, if they had gotten the weapon right, he might have been called Pincer Prince instead and ended up as Clawful’s opposite number.
I’m not that familiar with him, but isn’t he the successor to Man-At-Arms?
I think I’d only get him to add a bit of…is there really any way to say that without coming off a bit racist? I mean, I don’t recall any POC in the classic 80s series, then only a couple randoms in the 2002 series and barely Duncan’s mentor at that. Then this guy’s opposite was the only *confirmed* Eterni-Asian on the planet. I don’t think Ninjor ever removed his hood, and not touching Evil-Lyn’s Simpsonized colouring.
#whoneedssleep
#polybiusvideosrock
I still live in hope of a Melaktha and a Kothos to add some ethnic diversity to the MOTUC collection.
….who?
Klaatu Barado Nikto Bah-weep-Graaaaagnah wheep ni ni bong.
Melaktha was the Royal Archaeologist who precipitated a couple of adventures, including the whole Shokoti thing. Slightly grouchy (Considering he had Stanlan for an assistant, who could blame him?), but always up for an adventure, and a world-class expert in his field.
http://www.frankshemanpage.net/shokoti107.JPG
Kothos was Evil-Lyn’s mortal enemy, a wicked, power-hungry sorcerer who Evil-Lyn eventually turned into a sand-slug. Plus, he looked and sounded like Sydney Greenstreet with a sore throat. (Another one of John Erwin’s great voice characterisations.)
http://www.he-manreviewed.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/59-8-Yeah-It-was-Me-Im-Kothos.png
After some time underground (literally), Orko changed him back to human form (not knowing who he was) and he went looking for revenge.
http://www.frankshemanpage.net/revenge01.JPG
After a LOT of collateral damage, He-Man convinced Kothos that revenge was a fruitless pursuit (helped by the fact that Evil-Lyn had set his flying palace on a collision course with a mountain), and he reformed on the spot, vowing to help people form then on.
Great review, etc. I know I keep saying the same thing over and over again, but you guys keep churning out consistently high-quality reviews, photos, and comics.
In defense of the Vintage CC, his weapon didn’t look like a couple of shearing blades, as they had a raised lip around the edges of the prongs. Granted, this was probably for Health ‘n’ Safety reasons more than design choice, but it was closer to a clamp than this updated version.
i knew his weapon would aggravate you. those are pincers, no two ways around it, they’re not even kinda clamps, not on the modern toy at least. this is one of those little things that’s not actually little, and i support your psychosis on matters of this ilk.
and brainlock… there’s nothing racist abouting wanting more racial diversity! it’s fine to say, this line has very few black people, even fewer asians, no indians at all, and, if we play out cards right, one middle easterner coming up… that’s beyond sad. it is worth note that the mini comics had a better racial spread, but only by a little… and don’t even get me started on etheria… might as well have been hitler’s playground.
yeah, I was trying to be polite, but 80s toys were still White Men Only for the most part, plus “token” other.
I mean, GI Joe ARAH was probably the best case of diversity in a toy line EVER.
I never thought twice about Zap being Hispanic, then everybody wanted Doc, Spirit, Roadblock, Jinx, Airborne (Talltrees), Iceberg, and whatever handful of other non-white characters came along. except Dee-Jay. I don’t seem to recall any other non-white women besides Jinx, tho, in classic ARAH or modern versions? I think there may have been a black female Drednok in the Devil’s Due run? Then the movie made the cast international with little fuss aside from some die-hard ARAH fans. Heck, were there any gingers beside Scarlett, Snowjob, Outback, and Crankcase? hmm…okay, they had decent representation.
also, was it me, or were all the Cobra Troops supposedly all white? We all just assumed they were disenfranchised military/unemployed, right? but wouldn’t that also include a significant number of non-whites? It looks like Cobra was the Fourth Reich in retrospect, save for Storm Shadow. LOL
I freaking loved vintage Clamp Champ. I remember getting him, Ninjor & Scare Glow all at once. What a trio of winning figures they were!
My only complaint about the Classics version is the non-removable backpack. I’m fine with it being included for the 200x’ers, but I just wish it were an optional piece.
I’m disappointed in the fact that Mattel downplayed his super reflexes to non-existent in Classics Canon. Even though they are pincers, they’re physically impossible to be used as stabbing weapons as suggested in the Neitlichverse mini comics.
What did Scott this time? I thought the subs were granted and there’s still a few good years ahead…
Well, if we can get everyone on board for 2015, we’ll have two good years ahead. Unfortunately, the rabid “Vintage Only Or Else” and “Vintage Only And Out” crowd is way too vocal, and Mattel are pretty much committed to producing the remaining Vintage characters, plus a couple of Princess of Power, Filmation, and New Adventures characters thrown in, and then the line might effectively be kaput. Assuming 2015 even garners enough subscriptions to go through.
After that, it’s anyone’s guess. I’d love for the line to continue a couple of more years (considering how many more characters I’d love for them to make), but I fear that may be unlikely.
I really never understood this character back when I was a kid but I had him for some reason not knowing how VALUE he was. Now that I have in Classics he’s PRICELESS!
With humans, Flying Apemen, Mer-men, Beastmen, Bug People, Arachnians, Lizardpeople, Crabmen, Skunkmen, Trollans, and many other actual races. A human in a different shade redundant to me as a kid. Just another human to me.
Anyway a nice review and have to say, may do up one nu52 Teela take on how she would handle CC killing Duncan. Yeah he’s a dead man. That is if find at a nice price. Also some fun ideas for other pics. Dreago involved in one.
Crap forgot part of my email there.
Not being a subscriber I had to get Clamp Champ from ebay, luckily I ordered him before the prices went nuts. I really wanted him because I never got the figure as a kid and I always liked his colors, and I wanted another black guy in the line-up.
I’m pretty happy with him. Having to hunch him over does not bother me as much as it does you. However, the little 200x backpack does bother me. Without hoses connecting it to the pincers, it just doesn’t make sense; so I wish he was more of a straight vintage update.
However, since the backpack is non-removable, I had to justify it in my own mind.
Now my Clamp Champ also has the 200x power sword, which he uses to be Eternia’s champion when He-man goes missing. Man-at-arms created the 200x sword as a backup for Adam, but all it does is summon the powers of Grayskull, it doesn’t allow one to harness them. Adam, having a genetic predisposition doesn’t have to worry about it, but anyone else is basically holding a giant lighting rod when hold up the sword and cry “by the power of grayskull.”
So the backpack was created by MAA for CC to actually store and harness the power, granting him the strength of He-man.
And that’s how my crazy brain works, if there is something about the look of the figure that doesn’t jive with me, I have to make it work somehow.